Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chefkoch | [ˈʃɛfˌkɔx] (narrow) | masculine |
| Chefköchin | feminine | |
| Küchenchef | /ˈkʏçənˌʃɛf/ (standard) /ˈkyːçənˌʃɛf/ (sometimes) |
masculine |
| Küchenchefin | feminine |
These terms refer to the head cook of an establishment, such as a restaurant.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Chefkoch is a compound of Chef, meaning head or chief and Koch, meaning cook.
Which one should you use?
Chefkoch is used specifically for a male head cook, while Chefköchin is the form for a female head cook. Alternatively, you can use Küchenchef to mean a kitchen chef, which is a common way to denote the person in charge of the kitchen and its feminine counterpart Küchenchefin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The nouns follow German gender rules: Chefkoch and Küchenchef are masculine, while Chefköchin and Küchenchefin are feminine.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use the German word Chef to mean a professional cook. In German, Chef is a false friend that actually means a boss or supervisor.
When do people say it?
In a restaurant, if you wish to speak to the person in charge of the food, you can use the phrase Kann ich den Koch sprechen?
Did you know?
- If you call someone a Chef in a casual German setting, such as at a kebab shop, it is often used as a friendly, colloquial term similar to 'boss' or 'chief' in English.
- The word Chef in German actually traces its roots back to the French word chef, which originally meant 'head' or 'leader'.
- In German workplace culture, calling your boss Chef is very common, but using it as a direct address to a stranger can sound overly aggressive or like a movie trope.
Examples in context
- Ich hole den Küchenchef.I'll call the chef.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say you will call the Küchenchef.Tatoeba #1918649 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1912010 by Spamster
- Er ist der Chefkoch in dem Restaurant.He's the head chef at the restaurant.This sentence shows how to use Chefkoch to describe someone's role in a restaurant.Tatoeba #4934152 by Manfredo, translation #8553818 by sundown
- Tom ist Chefkoch eines Restaurants in Boston.Tom is the head chef at a restaurant in Boston.This sentence demonstrates using Chefkoch to identify a person's profession and location.Tatoeba #12217973 by mayabe, translation #5909860 by CK
- In der Spitzenküche gibt es oft mehrere Köche, die zusammenarbeiten, um erstaunliche Gerichte zuzubereiten.In fine dining, there are often multiple chefs working together to create astounding dishes.
- Der Küchenchef hat uns heute Abend mit einem außergewöhnlichen Dessert überrascht.The kitchen chef surprised us tonight with an extraordinary dessert.
- Dieser Meisterkoch beherrscht die Kunst der Gastronomie wie kein anderer.This master chef masters the art of gastronomy like no other.
- Du bist ein talentierter Koch.You are a talented chef.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are discussing a dinner reservation.
- MaximilianWer ist der Chefkoch in diesem Hotel?Who is the head chef in this hotel?
- SarahIch weiß es nicht, aber er ist berühmt.I don't know, but he is famous.
- MaximilianVielleicht können wir den Chefkoch persönlich treffen.Maybe we can meet the head chef in person.
- SarahDas wäre eine tolle Überraschung!That would be a great surprise!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chef” translations and entries Chefkoch, Küchenchef, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Chefkoch, Küchenchef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
